Getting Global Age Assurance Right: What We Got Wrong and What's Changing
I am still very skeptical, with a small amount of grace that Discord inadvertently found itself a lightning rod for backlash against eroding identity privacy in tech. That said, this post uses the same phrases over and over again and I can't help but wonder if it's 2 drafts stapled together with an AI "help me write this" tool.
To be determined if the changes they propose actually do strike a balance.
This blog post by Discord's CTO addresses community concerns about age assurance, explaining that no mass ID collection will occur, new vendor transparency commitments are being made, and the global launch has been delayed until the second half of 2026. Discord aims to keep the experience unchanged for most users while ensuring age-appropriate content for all, with over 90% of users not needing to verify their age. For those who do need to verify, Discord will offer multiple options that do not collect identity information. The company is also committing to full transparency on vendors and their data handling practices.
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